HELENA, Mont. – Two great pitching performances slowed down University of Providence softball, leading to losses in both games of a make-up doubleheader against Carroll College. The first game was a defensive battle that the Saints won 4-0, while the second game was more lopsided, going just 5 innings in an 11-3 loss for UP.
UP's four-game series against the Saints was initially supposed to be the conference season opener for both teams back in early March but was postponed due to snow. Instead, the series was split into two separate doubleheaders, the first being on Tuesday, April 10 and the second being Sunday, April 15.
GAME 1
Key Moments:
- Based on the first at-bat, it didn't seem like the game would be as low scoring as it was, particularly for UP. Bailey Henderson (SR/Fernley, Nev.) leadoff the game with a single up the middle and advanced all the way to third but was left there when the inning ended.
- Carroll scored the game's first run in the bottom of the third, with a single to short that drove in a runner from second.
- The Saints broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth, scoring 3 runs. Of those 3 runs, 2 were unearned, with consecutive batters reaching base off of UP fielding errors.
At the Plate:
- Only 3 Argo batters managed to get hits off of Carroll's Allison Williams. Henderson was one of them. The other 2 were Hanna Tarum (SO/Great Falls, Mont.) and Karsten Williams (JR/Sandy, Utah). All three batters went 1-3 on the day.
In the Circle:
- Kristina George allowed 10 hits in the game but did a good job of limiting the damage. If not for the 2 defensive errors, she only would have allowed 2 runs in the game.
GAME 2
Key Moments:
- Once again, Henderson started the game with a single to right field. This time, she tried to turn it into a double, however and got thrown out at second.
- The bottom of the first also had its mistakes. UP committed 3 errors in the inning, allowing 2 Saints runners to score.
- Carroll broke the game open in the bottom of the second, scoring 4 more runs while working through the entire batting order.
- In the top of the third, UP got a chance of its own to take advantage of some mistakes. With 2 outs and no runners on base, Kenzie Gast (FR/ Toulumne Country, Calif.) reached base on an error. Henderson, the next batter, walked and then a single from Gabrielle Canibeyaz (SR/Las Vegas, Nev.) brought in UP's first run of the series. Henderson then scored from third on a wild pitch.
- Gast was again a factor in the top of the fourth. She came to the plate with 2 outs and the bases loaded after 2 walks and another Carroll error. A single to center drove in Samantha Hernandez (FR/Los Angeles, Calif.).
At the Plate:
- In just 2 at bats, Gast was the team's most productive hitter. She had 1 of the team's 2 RBIs and scored 1 of the team's 3 runs.
- Henderson was the next most productive, going 1-2 with a 1 run and 1 walk.
- UP was held to just 3 hits for the second straight game.
What's Next:
UP has hopes of hosting its first home series of the season in what is also supposed to be the team's last, with a four game stand against Northwest Christian University. If the weather cooperates and the field dries in time, the games the first doubleheader of the series will be played on Friday, April 13 at 2 & 4 p.m. in Great Falls, Montana.
